South Korean pop star Choi Sung-bong has been found dead by an apparent suicide at the age of 33.
He was found by police at his home in the Yeoksam-dong district of Seoul at 9.41am on Tuesday, according to The Korea Times.
Sung-bong rose to fame on Korea’s Got Talent on tvN aged 22 in 2011, before signing a record deal with Bong Bong Company.
He came in second place in the competition with his operatic performance of Ennio Morricone’s Nella Fantasia, which gained over 21 million views on YouTube.
The clip of his performance also received praise from stars such as Justin Bieber, BoA and Jung-Hwa Umwho.
South Korean pop star Choi Sung-bong has been found dead by an apparent suicide at the age of 33
Sung-bong rose to fame on Korea’s Got Talent on tvN in 2011 (pictured), before signing a record deal with Bong Bong Company
Bieber wrote on Facebook at the time: ‘This is awesome. Never say never, and good luck to this kid. Great story.’
At the time he was hailed by media outlets as being Korea’s answer to Susan Boyle.
The news of Choi’s sudden death comes two years after he was exposed for lying that he had multiple forms of cancer and asking fans to donate cash for his treatment.
After it was revealed to be a hoax, he apologised and promised to return any donations.
Police believe that he died by suicide due to a note he posted on his YouTube channel the day before his death in which he apologised for his ‘foolish mistakes’.
In it, he thanked his fans for their support of his career, writing: ‘From 2011 to the present, I have been receiving attention and love from so many people. I sincerely thank you and express my gratitude.’
He went on to apologise for the 2021 scam: ‘I am sincerely sorry for my foolish mistakes and those who have suffered damage, and I have repeatedly made mistakes.
‘For the past two years, we have returned all those who have asked for a return of donations.
‘Looking back, since I was young, I tried my best to enjoy a normal life, like every day for 10 years, but in the end, I’m sorry.
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Choi was found by police at his home in the Yeoksam-dong district of Seoul at 9.41am on Tuesday
‘I have no regrets about the journey of life that I have lived brilliantly. I have lived to the best of my ability and tried to have happiness every day.
‘I am sincerely sorry to the many people who have been harmed because of me… I’m sorry to the many people who helped me.’
Choi also wrote a memoir after his rise to fame, exploring his impoverished upbringing and telling how he dropped out of music school due to financial worries.
In his audition for Korea’s Got Talent, he revealed he was left in an orphanage aged three but said he ran away after being beaten at just five years old.
He said he had lived homeless since then, moving around from place to place on his own. He added that singing was the one thing that had brought him joy during this immensely troubling time.
Despite saying that he wasn’t a good singer, Choi brought the judges to tears with his emotional and powerful performance.
It comes just a week after South Korean actress Park Soo Ryun died aged 29 after falling down a set of stairs while returning home.
Park, who starred in the Disney+ K-drama Snowdrop, was taken to hospital for emergency treatment but was pronounced brain-dead despite attempts to save her.
Choi also wrote a memoir after his rise to fame, exploring his impoverished upbringing
The country has grappled with a string of deadly misfortunes as multiple tragedies have rocked K-pop and K-drama in recent years.
Just two months ago, South Korean actress and model Jung Chae-yul, who gained notoriety for her role in Zombie Detective, was found dead in her home at the age of 26. It is yet to be established how she died so young.
Then just days later, K-Pop star Moonbin was also found dead in his apartment in a suspected suicide. The singer, actor, dancer and model was just 25.
And earlier this month, glamorous South Korean influencer BJ Ahyeong, a K-pop DJ, was found dead and dumped in a pit in Cambodia weeks after she quit her social media career.
If you are struggling with depression or suicidal thoughts, you can contact The Samaritans helpline 24/7 on 116 123 for help and support.
